Thomas s



(NoModeL) s. GILBERT.

' ABDOMINAL CORSET. v

No. 527,966. I Patented Oct. 23, 1894.

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tJNrrEn STATES PATENT "FFIQE.

THOMAS S. GILBERT, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEGILBERT CORSET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ABDOMINAL CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,966, dated October23, 1894.

Application filed August 24., 1894. Serial No. 521,209- (No model.)

. Improvement in Abdominal Corsets; and I do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andthe letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription to of the same, and which said drawings constitute part ofthis specification, and represent,

Figure 1, a view in front elevation of a corset constructed inaccordance with my inven- 1 tion, the corset being shown spread outflat; Fig. 2, a broken view in inside elevation, showing one of theauxiliary sections, as well as portions of the front and hip sectionswith which the same is connected; Fig. 3, a broken view in frontelevation of a portion of one of the auxiliary sections, showing itunder tension and its elastic lacing extended to bring the gore intoplay; Fig. 4, an enlarged view in horizontal section, on the line a-b ofFig.

1; Fig. 5, a broken view, drawn to full size,

showing a portion of one of the flying, lacing stays, and several of theshort straps by means of which the same is connected with the corset.

0 My invention relates to an improvement in abdominal corsets, theobject being to produce a simple, compact, convenient, shapely andcomfortable corset, made with particular reference to providing anadequate ad- 5 justable support for the abdomen of the wearer and topermitting a free movement of the hips without the loss of fit in thecorset.

\Vith these ends in view, my invention consists in an abdominal corsethaving certain details of construction as will be hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claim.

For convenience of illustration and description, I have chosen to definethe front-sections A A, the hip-sections B B, and the back-sec- 4 5tions 0 C of the corset, by means of heavy vertical lines, which are notto be understood as of other significance than that of showingapproximately those portions ofthe corset meant by the terms front, hip,and back sections. I

may add that, in some corsets, the structure of the corset itselfclearly defines these sections, while inothers it does not. As the termsmentioned are so well known, both technically and popularly, it seemsdesirable to use them.

In carrying out my invention, I provide the corset with twocorresponding, oppositely located, diagonally arranged, adjustableabdominal straps, converging at their lower ends, and each composed of alower member D and an upper member D, the upper end of the lower memberbeing furnished with a buckle E, which receives the lower end of theupper member.

It will be understood that, by adjusting the straps in length byme'ansof their buckles,

the corset may be very readily adapted to fit the abdomen of the wearerand to give it w more or less support, as desired.

The said adjustable abdominal straps ex tend over and are superimposedupon two independently formed auxiliary sections F F, located withinopenings G G formed by cutting away the lower portions of the frontsectionsA and the hip sections B of the corset, the said openings beingwidest at their rear ends and tapering thence forward to their forwardends, and the said auxiliary sections being wider than the depth of theopenings and located within the same, so that their upper edges extendup under the lower edges of the front and hip sections as cut away,throughout the length of the openings. The

broken linesfin Fig. 1 of the drawings indicate the extension of theupper edges of the auxiliary sections up under the front and hipsections, as just described. Each of the said auxiliary sections isfurnished at its rear end with an unstayed or soft gore E, whichnormally lies in a fold, as shown in Fig. 2. 0' Each of the saidsections is also furnished with a vertically arranged flying lacing stayII extending over the inner edge of the gore, and connected with thesaid edge of the section by means of regularly spaced short lac- 5ing-straps or tapes H, of heavy fabric.

The forward ends of the auxiliary sections are respectively attached tothe front sections of the corset on the lines ff, while the outer edgesof the gores, located at the rear ends of too the auxiliary sections,are directly attached to the hip sections of the corset at f f. The

gores themselves are normally taken up, so to speak, by means of elasticlacings I, which are passed back and forth over the inner edges of theflying lacing stays H and between the lacing straps or tapes H, alreadymentioned, and over corresponding flying lacing stays 1-1 extending overthe outer edges of the gore and connected with the hip-sections of thecorset hy means of lacing straps or tapes 1-1 It will be understood, ofcourse, that the elastic lacings will extend and permit the gores toplay out as required, for the accommodation of the corset to themovements, position, and conditions of the figure.

It is apparent that, in carrying out my invention, the diagonallyarranged abdominal straps may not be constructed nor applied in theexact manner shown, and furthermore that the auxiliary sections may beconstructed and applied otherwise than as shown, and that otherprovision may be made for flexibly connecting one end of each of thesaid sections with the corset, so as to permit the requiredaccommodation. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limitmyself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but holdmyself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fallwithin the spirit and scope of my invention. I am aware, however, that acorset provided with adjustable abdominal straps is old, and do notclaim such a construction broadly; and, having made the auxiliarysections the subject of an application filed by me under date ofDecember 19, 1892, and serially numbered 455,609, I do not broadly claimthat construction herein.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

An abdominal corset, having front sections, hip sections and backsections, of which the lower portions of the front and hip sections arecut away to form openings, widest at their rear ends and thence taperingforward to their forward ends; auxiliary sectionslocated with in thesaid openings, extending up under the lower edges of the hip and frontsections as cut away, throughout the length of the openings, andattached to the corset at their rear and forward ends, one of theirattachments being flexible; and two corresponding, oppositely located,diagonally arranged, adjustable abdominal straps, converging at theirlower ends, superimposed upon the said auxiliary sections and connectedwith the front and hip sections of the corset respectively,substantially as and for the purpose described.

'In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS S. GILBERT.

WVitnesses:

FRANK H. BOWEN, EDWARD N. BOWEN.

